During my October 2014 trip to Italy, St. Peter's became alomost a daily sight at different times of the day, since I often took the bus home at a bus stop nearby. The big difference, the crowds, don't get me wrong the area is always full of tourists, but the lines at were always long every day at all different hours.Today (3/1/16) I noticed the increased security, armed soldiers, mutiple check points.

Assisi is best known for being the birthplace of St. Francesco di Assisi, the patron saint of Italy. A lot of people visit the Basilica di San Francesco, is a great mystical place, a must stop for those on a religious pilgrimage. The Basilica was built in 1228-1253 to honor St. Francis, which in its grandeur seems an oxymoron because he led a very simple life. The Basilica has wonderful breathtaking frescoes from Giotto and Cimabue. The Basilica was named a Unesco site in 2000.In 2000 , the year of the Jubilee, the train station in Assisi was remodeled with the look of the old station and it remains like that to date.

What a lot of people don't know is that St. Francis did most of his preaching in the area where now is the Basilica Santa Maria Degli Angeli. The Basilica was built around the a small church that St. Francis restored in 1216.It is in this chapel known as La Porziuncola where St. Francis received a message from God , where he founded the Franciscan order and, it is also in this chapel where he died. To visit the town of Assisi without visiting La Porziuncola is missing a great part of the life and work of St. Francis.

Just a little taste of what I'm experiencing right now. I'm sitting at a small park surrounded by olive trees, there's a guy playing the harp, the sun is shinning, it's a gorgeous day, and from here you can see the beautiful Tuscan countryside.

This trip to Italy, rather unplanned and unexpected, is different from all others. My weekdays are filled with what seems to me day to day activities (at least day to day activites of non working folks) get up, chit chat with the neighbors, go for a walk, go to the market, watch the soccer game, read, etc, etc.

But I imagine that during the weekend people hop on the train and go somewhere. If they don't, well they should! I did and today my travels brought me to Perugia.A 2:30 min train ride from Roma Termini, then a short bus ride from the train station to Piazza Italia in the city center. Once in the center you are greeted with gorgeous views of the Umbrian hills and valleys, beautiful piazzas and historic reminders dating back to the Etruscans.

I first visited Padova in 2012 as part of the Rick Steves, Village Italy Tour, I felt an immediate connection to the town. Maybe it was my affinity to Sant'Antonio di Padova or the fact that it is a college town, or the great outdoor markets. I feel at home in Padova. I remember that early one morning I went to mass at St. Anthony's Basilica. Really, I don't go to mass even when I'm in the US, but somehow it felt right at the time, get up at the crack to catch a 7 am mass, in italian.... At the time I was learning italian and I was not quite proficient as I am now, but there's one thing about catholic mass, they follow a certain script, so it is like riding a bicycle, all those years of catholic school coming back, and while everyone spoke italian and I responded in spanish. I went to mass last Saturday, now I can understand the priest and blend with the locals. No I don't get the urge to go to mass every time I'm near a church in Italy, but there is always good energy at la casa d'il Santo

About me...

My fascination with Italy started in 2011 when I visited for the first time. In the last few years I've had the opportunity to explore this country, I've learned the language, I've tried to understand it's culture, and the more I know, the more I want to learn, the more I see, the more I want to experience...